Here's what family members and friends told Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger in court

Family members and friends lashed out at killer Bryan Kohberger in court Wednesday as he was sentenced to life in prison for the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students.

No motive has been offered and Kohberger, 30, chose not to speak at the hearing. He pleaded guilty earlier this month in a deal to avoid the death penalty.

The victim impact statements lasted about two hours. Here are some excerpts from the hearing.

‘I won’t offer you tears’

Alivea Goncalves, 26, sister of Kaylee Goncalves who was one of the roommates killed, looked Kohberger in the eye and delivered a calm and powerful statement, which she described as a “final act of love.”

“I won’t stand here and give you what you want. I won’t offer you tears. I won’t offer you trembling, disappoints like you thrive on pain, on fear and on the illusion of power,” she said.

In 2022, Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were killed after Kohberger, 30, entered their rental house and stabbed them to death during their sleep.

Alivea Goncalves, sister of Kaylee Goncalves, was among the friends and relatives who delivered powerful impact statements at Bryan Kohberger's sentencing Wednesday. >>> https://t.co/HGLfy9K0An pic.twitter.com/3FeebwWudY

— KFDA NewsChannel10 (@NewsChannel10) July 23, 2025

Rather than giving Kohberger a reaction, Alivea said she would instead ask him whatever was on her mind, including how it felt to have failed at a rap career and what Kaylee’s last words were.

“So, sit it up straight when I talk to you,” she said to him.

Alivea closed her statement by telling Kohberger that if he hadn’t attacked them in the middle of the night Kaylee would have fought him off.

““If you hadn’t attacked them in the middle of the night while they were asleep … Kaylee would have kicked your (expletive) ass,” Alivea Goncalves said.

Kaylee’s father, Steve Goncalves also spoke directly to Kohberger and detailed how his family and community came together to find him following the murders.

“Today we are here to finish what you started. Today, you lost control,” he said. “Today you have no name, because when its all said and done we all came together.”

‘Evil has many faces’

Madison Mogen’s stepfather, Scott Laramie poke of how he and his wife, Karen Laramie, would remember their daughter.

“This world was a better place with her in it,” Laramie said. “Karen and I are ordinary people, but we lived extraordinary lives because we had Maddie.”

Laramie called Mogen’s death a “sudden act of evil,” and described an “emptiness” in their home since she was killed.

“For the defendant, we will not waste our words. Never will be fall into hatred and bitterness. Evil has many faces, and we now know this, but evil does no deserve our time and attention,” he said.

In addition to Laramie, Mogen’s grandmother and her biological father also spoke.

“Maddie was my only child that I ever had. She’s the only great thing I ever really did,” Benjamin Mogen said sniffling. “The only thing I was ever really proud of.”

During his statement, Mogen closed the book where his prepared words were written.

“I just don’t know what to say right now,” he said.

‘He took the light they carried’

Dylan Mortensen, one of the surviving roommates and the first to deliver her own statement, took a seat and prepared speak. After taking a minute to compose herself Mortensen delivered her statement.

Dylan Mortensen, roommate of the victims in the Idaho murders, broke down in tears during Bryan Kohberger's sentencing.

"He didn't just take their lives. He took the light that carried it into every room. He took away how they made everyone feel safe, loved and full of joy ...… pic.twitter.com/ky7DGYuIpk

— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 23, 2025

She said Kohberger took away her ability to trust the world when she was only 19 years old.

“Because of him four beautiful, genuine, compassionate people were taken from this world for no reason. He didn’t just take their lives. He took the light they carried with them into every room,” Mortensen said between shaky breathes and sobs.

During her speech Mortensen detailed a dream she had a year earlier, where she said goodbye to her friends.

“I told them I won’t be able to see you again, so I need to tell you goodbye. They all kept asking why and all I could say is I can’t tell you,” Mortensen said.